Combined invalid s table and desk



(No Kodel.) 5

F. G. KOEHLER & H. G. HARTMANN. COMBINED INVALID'S TABLE AND DESK.

No. 525,554. 1 Patented Sept. 4, 1894.

THE Scams mm m, Pmmnmn. wuumcn'un, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

FRANK G. KOEHLER AND HENRY G. HARTMANN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,554, dated September 4, 1894.

Application filed May 29, 1893. serial No. 475,835- (No model.)-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK G. KOEHLER and HENRY G. HARTMANN, of the city of St. Louls and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Invalids Table and Desk, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Qur invention relates to tables of that class whlch have a tilting top adjustably mounted upon a stand, and consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter specified and designated in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide a cheap, simple and convenienttable especially adapted for the use of invalids who are bedridden, draftsmen who desire a portable and adjustable drawing-table, and others who desire a portable and adjustable writing-table or desk. y

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevation with-parts in section, of a table embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of same, the section being taken on the line A-A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the table-top, with parts broken away, and with the top tilted and shown in transverse section. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line B-B of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an inverted sectional plan view, the section being taken on the line GO of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of a horizontal slide-rod, made use of in carrying out the invention. Fig. 7 is a detail view in perspective of the upper end of the standard. Fig. 8 is a detail view in perspective of a locking bracket made use of in the invention.

1 indicates the standard which is provided with the usual supporting legs 2.. This standard preferably has a rectangular bore, or a bore 3 that is angular in cross-section. The lower end of this bore is closed and its upper end is open.

Located within the bore 3 and adjustable longitudinally therein is a shank 4 which is angular in cross-section so as to correspond in shape to the shape of the bore in the standard. Formed upon one of the vertical sides of the shank 4 is a series of teeth or depressions 5, which are engaged by a suitable looking device, to hold said shank in proper adjustment with relation to the said standard.

This locking device consists of a bolt 6 mounted in a suitable bracket 7 upon the exterior 0f the standard adjacent the upper end thereof. The bolt 6 is provided with a head 8 at this shoulder or projection while the outer 7 end of said spring rests in contactwith the bracket 7. 12 indicates the table-top, which is connected to the upper end of the shank4 to slide and tilt thereon, in the manner hereinafter described.

13 indicates a slide-rod which is preferablyrectangular or angular. in cross-section and located in a horizontal position upon the upper end of the shank 4 with its body loosely engaging a horizontal bearing 14 which is also angular in cross-section and secured upon the upper end of said shank in any desired manner.

The purposein constructing the bore of the standard the shank 4,'tlie slide-rod 13 and the horizontal bearing 14 angular in crosssection is to prevent rotation or revolublemovement, of said shank in said bore and slide rod in said bearings.

The. table-top is constructed in two sections, a tilting-section, which is the main section, which is mounted upon the slide-rod 13, to tilt, and asmaller horizontal section 15, which is fixed upon said slide-rod to always retain a horizontal position, no matter at what angle the main sectionmay be adjusted. The horizontal section 15 is preferably located at one end of the main-section, and is preferably of the same width as the main-section, but having a length a number of times less than its width, as its purpose isto simply support inkbottles, and writing-materials, drawing instruments, 850., while the main section is tilted.

The ends of the slide-rod 13 are preferably turned upward at an angle to the body-of the rod, and one of the turned up portions is provided with a fixed flange 16 having a series of holes or perforations 17, while the other turned up portion is provided with a horizontal perforation 18. The horizontal section v is mounted upon the flange 16 of the sliderod with its under'surface in contact with the upper surface of said flange, and it is secured in position by means of suitable screws or fastenings passed through the apertures in said flange and engaging said section.

. Secured to the under side of the main see tion 12 about midway of the length thereof is a depending locking-bracket 19 to whichthe upturned inner end of the slide rod is connected by means of a bolt or rivet 20 passing through an aperture 21 in said bracket and engaging the horizontal perforation 18 in said upturned end. This forms a support for one end of the main section of the top. The opposite end of said main section is pivotally connected to the contiguous end or edge of the horizontal section 15 by means of a depending hinge-ear 22 having its upper end secured to the under'surface of said main section and its body provided with a horizontal perforation which is engaged by a bolt or rivet 23 also engaginga depending hinge-ear 24 formed upon the inner edge of the flange 16. The main section 12 is thus pivotally mounted upon the slide-rod 13 so that it may be tilted with relation to the horizontal section 15 and the standard 1. The tilting section 12 is locked in the desired adjustment by means of a bolt 25 mounted in a bracket 26 carried by the locked-bracket 19 at a pointbelow the plane of the bolt or rivet 20.

A shoulder or projection 27 is formed upon the bolt 25 adjacent its inner end, and a spring 28 is located upon said bolt with one of its ends in contact with said shoulder or projection and its opposite end in contact with the bracket 26 so as to normally hold said bolt with its inner end in engagement with one of a series of apertures or depressions 29 formed in 3. depending flange 30 carried by the sliderod 13 at a point adjacent the lock-bracket 19. The series of apertures or depressions 29 in the depending flange 30 is arranged radially with the center of the bolt or rivet 20 as the center of a circle conceived to pass through the center of each aperture or depression of the series.

The operation is as follows: When it is desired to adjust the height of the table with relation to the standard, the shank 4 is slid longitudinally in the bore 3 of said standard until the desired height of the table is secured when said table or top will be retained in such position by means of the bolt 6 engaging the teeth or depressions 5 of said shank. The teeth 5 are commonly known as ratchetteeth, so that the end-of the bolt 6 projects beneath said teeth to support the table-top at whatever point it is adjusted to, and said teeth slideupward in contact with the adjacent end of the-bolt withoutdirect obstruction when said shank is pulled upward or is to be removed from the standard. When it is desired to lower the shank and table-top all that is necessary is to withdraw thebolt 6 by means of its knob or handle 8 until its inner end is detached from the teeth or depressions 5' in the shank, when said shank will gravitate downward or may be adjusted downward or upward by hand. When it is desired that the table be used for reading or-writing by a bed-ridden invalid, the standard and feet of the table are placed closely adjacent the side of the bed, and the entire table-top is then slid longitudinallyuponithe standard (the slide-rod 13 sliding in the bearing 14) until the table-top projects for the greater portion of its length upon one side of the standard, and such length overhangs the bed, and then the table will be in such a position that the invalid may conveniently reach articles placed upon it, and do writing, reading, 850., while the table-top supports the writing or reading-materials directly above the bed. The slide-rod 13 maybe adjusted until any portion of its length interior of the upturned ends, engages the bearing 14 carried by the shank 4, thereby permitting a preponderance of the length of the top to project at one side of the standard or permitting an equal length of same to project on either side of said standard. We have found these to be important functions, adding greatly to the convenience of the uses of tables and desks of the class having asingle vertical standard.

When'it is desired to tilt the main-section 12, all that is necessary is to withdraw the inner end of the bolt 25 from engagement with the central aperture 29 of the flange 30 carried by the slide-rod, when said section may be readily tilted to any appropriate angle,as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and as shown in Fig. 3, while the horizontal section 15 remains stationary in a horizontal position, and immediately upon releasing the bolt 25 its spring 28 causes it to return to normal position with its inner end in engagement with one of the apertures 29 in said flange 30, and

the section 12 will thusbe held in a desired tilted position.

Although the bolt 25 and the'apertnred flange 30 usually act to hold the two sections 12 and 15 in proper relative positions with.

suificient rigidity, yet we have found thatlin thereby hold the two sections with their meeting edges parallel. (See Figs. 2, 3, and 5.)

What we claim is 1. The improved table or desk having a standard and vertically moving hearing within said standard, said bearing having a horizontally sliding rectangular bar mounted in its upper portion, said rectangular slidebar having a table section rigidly secured to one end thereof, the other end of said slidebar being hinged to a casting secured to and depending from the bottom of the mating table section, substantially as specified.

2. In a combined table and desk, the combination of two top sections a rectangular bar horizontally sliding and mounted in a bearing on the table standard, one end of with a series of apertures, thus forming a.

hinge connection and latching device for a depending casting secured to the tilting table top section, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we atfix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK G. KOEHLER. HENRY G. HARTMANN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. LONGAN, bro. 0. HIGDON. 

